Coffee Professional Terminology

Flavor

The overall impression of aroma, acidity, and body, which can be used to describe the overall feeling of coffee.

Acidity

A sharp, intense quality found in all coffees grown at high altitudes. The acidity mentioned here is different from bitterness or sourness, nor is it related to pH value. Instead, it's a fresh, lively quality that enables coffee to function as a mental stimulant and palate cleanser.

Body

The mouthfeel that remains on the tongue after drinking prepared coffee. Body can range from light as water to thin, medium, high, buttery, and even as thick as syrup in some Indonesian coffees.

Aroma

Aroma refers to the fragrance and aroma emitted by coffee after preparation. Bouquet is a less commonly used term, specifically referring to the smell of ground coffee powder. Aroma typically has specific characteristics and is comprehensive. Words used to describe aroma include: caramel, roasted, chocolate, fruity, grassy, malty, rich, full-bodied, spicy, etc.

Bitter

Bitterness is a basic taste sensation, with the sensory area distributed at the back of the tongue. The bitterness in dark roast is intentionally created, but the most common cause of bitterness is using too much coffee powder with too little water. Bitterness is not synonymous with sourness.

Bland

Coffees grown in lowlands typically have quite light and tasteless profiles. Coffee made with insufficient coffee powder and too much water will also produce the same light effect.

Briny

After coffee is brewed, if overheated, it will produce a salty taste. Some coffee shop coffees have this flavor profile.

Earthy

Usually used to describe Indonesian coffees that are spicy and have earthy aromas. However, the earthiness mentioned here does not refer to the taste of coffee beans contaminated with soil. Some commercial coffees are mixed with cheap coffee varieties, where the earthy taste may become dirty, clearly caused by crude processing techniques of spreading coffee beans on the ground for drying.

Exotic

Describes coffee that has a unique aroma and special characteristics, such as sweet qualities like flowers, fruits, and spices. Coffees from East Africa and Indonesia typically have this characteristic.

Mellow

An adjective used to describe coffee with low to medium acidity and good balance.

Mild

Indicates that a certain coffee has harmonious and delicate flavors. High-altitude Latin American coffees are typically described as mild in texture. Additionally, it's also a term in the coffee industry used to refer to all high-altitude coffees except those produced in Brazil.

Soft

Describes low-acidity coffees like Indonesian coffee; can also be described as mellow or sweet.

Sour

A taste sensation primarily located on the back sides of the tongue, characteristic of light roast coffees.

Spicy

Refers to a flavor or aroma reminiscent of specific spices. Certain high-altitude Indonesian coffees (especially aged coffees) contain sweet aromas reminiscent of cardamom.

Strong

Technically speaking, it describes the abundance of various taste advantages and disadvantages, or the relative ratio of coffee to water in a specific prepared product. In common usage, strong describes the intense flavor of dark roast coffee. Additionally, it misleads people into the illusion of containing high amounts of caffeine. In fact, high-caffeine content is found in canned mild coffees because they contain more decaffeinated coffee.

Sweet

A commonly used adjective that is essentially almost fruity and also related to wine-like flavors. Coffees grown in the highlands of Costa Rica typically have spicy flavors.

Wild

Describes coffee that has extreme taste characteristics. If most people cannot accept it, they would call it strange, but it could also be an attractive feature, depending on personal preference.

Winy

Describes a fascinating flavor reminiscent of wine. The special contrasting flavor created by fruity acidity and smooth body. Kenyan coffee is the best example containing wine-like flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee: http://www.gafei.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473